Author Topic: The $%*! frustration thread  (Read 484996 times)

teaflower

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2175 on: February 26, 2009, 10:19:01 am »
So, I'm back at school, right? After being out for three days. My biology teacher is out, so I can't get her signature to get the makeup work I missed. Also, it seems as though there's a bug going around the school. Everyone is sick.

And I'm still coughing up my lungs.

Ugh.

The good news is that I feel a little better.

The bad news is that I forgot my gallon of water.

And school water = crap.

Romana

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FouCapitan

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2177 on: February 26, 2009, 11:43:38 am »
http://www.qj.net/XBL-bans-again-this-time-cos-her-profile-says-she-s-a-lesbian/pg/49/aid/129144
Fuck Microsoft.
[sarcasm]Microsoft doesn't allow gamers to boldly express sexual preferences on a network designed for people of all ages?  How DARE they!

Because if you can't tell the gaming community that you're gay with your screename or profile, then what's the point of playing?

Nevermind the fact that the TOS agreement states that gamertags, or profile fields should not contain sexual references among other things, this is clearly worthy of an outrage.[/sarcasm]

V_Translanka

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2178 on: February 26, 2009, 12:00:18 pm »
I wonder what would have happened if it had just said they were straight though...

nightmare975

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2179 on: February 26, 2009, 01:18:56 pm »
I wonder what would have happened if it had just said they were straight though...

Nothing of course, because the word "straight" isn't used as an insult. They probably banned use of the word so people can't write "Gays and lesbians are bad" or something to that line. Hell, they ban you for typing "Support our troops", are they anti American? no, they banned use of the word "support" so no one could write "Xbox Live support" on their profile.

Delta Dragon

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2180 on: February 26, 2009, 01:38:02 pm »
That's the thing with online games and other things like that.  Even if you ban words people will just find another way to say it.  It's very irritating. 

V_Translanka

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2181 on: February 26, 2009, 02:24:08 pm »
Yes, because we all know that words hurt far more than sticks and stones combined.

Radical_Dreamer

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2182 on: February 26, 2009, 02:33:51 pm »
Yes, because we all know that words hurt far more than sticks and stones combined.

You cannot physically harm someone over Xbox Live, but what you can do is cause a hostile environment that will make them not want to play online. Which means they cancel their subscription and buy fewer online titles.

Mind you, I'm not defending Microsoft's decision here. It's baffling. I'm just saying that moderation in a for-pay online community is a legitimate function of the operator.

V_Translanka

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2183 on: February 26, 2009, 02:45:32 pm »
I say censor attitudes & actions, not words. Words are only as powerful as you make them.

ZeaLitY

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2184 on: February 26, 2009, 02:56:17 pm »
I may be wrong, but I've heard that she was only removed because a bunch of people reported her.

I guess it's hard to avoid with that demographic. I stopped expecting people to play fairly in online games a few months ago when I finally realized that most of them are a bunch of utter derelicts.

FouCapitan

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2185 on: February 27, 2009, 03:20:20 am »
I may be wrong, but I've heard that she was only removed because a bunch of people reported her.

I guess it's hard to avoid with that demographic. I stopped expecting people to play fairly in online games a few months ago when I finally realized that most of them are a bunch of utter derelicts.
Yeah, unfortunately these situations fall victim to a majority rules mentality.  While I do feel that what happened to her wasn't fair, I also feel that her going into a community and openly placing herself into the "hey I'm different!" profile wasn't smart.  It opened her up to harrasment in a community that was ready to dish it out, whether deserved or not.

While not exactly the same, it's similar to painting a confederate flag on your car and driving through Harlem.  What it represents to everyone is different, but in that community, they're going to have one strong perception of what it means, and won't react kindly.

I know that's a stretch, but the point is valid.  If she went to a forum of friendly, non-harrasing open-minded individuals and identified herself as a lesbian a kind reaction would be expected.  However, she went to a community with random assorted individuals and did as such, and following Murphy's Law some of those individuals were assholes.  By one stretch of Microsoft's terms of use they contrived a violation on her part, and thus the unfortunate results.

The bottom line is, if harrasment is a forseen conclusion, avoid opening yourself up to it.

Radical_Dreamer

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2186 on: February 27, 2009, 01:45:19 pm »
The bottom line is, if harrasment is a forseen conclusion, avoid opening yourself up to it.

There is no reason for Xbox Live, or anywhere else really, to be openly hostile to homosexuals. If she wanted to put herself out there like that, she should have been able to do so without fear of harassment, and if Microsoft moderates at all, it should error on the side of those that are victims of the harassment, not those which create a hostile environment.

nightmare975

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2187 on: February 27, 2009, 01:48:57 pm »
The bottom line is, if harrasment is a forseen conclusion, avoid opening yourself up to it.

There is no reason for Xbox Live, or anywhere else really, to be openly hostile to homosexuals. If she wanted to put herself out there like that, she should have been able to do so without fear of harassment, and if Microsoft moderates at all, it should error on the side of those that are victims of the harassment, not those which create a hostile environment.

Yes, but if the majority of people use the word as an insult, then shouldn't they just ban the use of the word to save themselves time?

placidchap

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2188 on: February 27, 2009, 01:59:52 pm »
Maybe I am missing something since I have never used xbox live (or an xbox for that matter) but why would someone put their sexual orientation down in the first place?  Is this a dating service as well as gaming?  I don't really get why this person had it listed in the first place...Personally, I'd rather not see any of that on a gaming service.  What the fuck do I care if you are gay or straight?  Assuming I used Xbox live..."I'm here to play games not here about your sexual orientation or conquests."
« Last Edit: February 27, 2009, 02:02:15 pm by placidchap »

chrono eric

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Re: The $%*! frustration thread
« Reply #2189 on: February 27, 2009, 03:03:28 pm »
I don't know placidchap, once I was playing XBOX Live with my friend and this guy was trying to hit on this girl and asked her for her myspace page  :D. We made fun of him endlessly, but I suppose it is possible to meet people over XBOX Live.

However, she just put it in her profile probably not to try to get a rise out of people but because she views her sexual orientation as something that defines her. For example, I might say in my profile - "My name is Chrono Eric and I am studying to be a veterinarian" not "my name is Chrono Eric and I'm straight and I'm studying to be a veterinarian". But that is because I don't view my sexual orientation as something that defines me. For gay people I imagine it is different, and they are proud to be that way.

She probably wasn't trying to start anything and never thought that she would be banned for it. But what do I know? I'm just speculating of course because I don't know the truth around her banning.